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Original poster

January to March 2019 music thread (Title edited by MNHQ)

712 replies

CruCru · 14/01/2019 09:46

Hi all

Here is the new music thread for January - I hope no one minds me starting it.

I am mum to a son (7) who is learning the piano and trumpet and a daughter (5) who is learning the piano and violin. I am having piano lessons and played the trumpet as a child.

Some of the people on these threads (and their children) are fantastic musicians. Some are more like me. All are welcome.

Thank you to Wafflenose for all the time she has spent managing these threads.

OP posts:
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QueenMabby · 24/04/2019 16:30

SlaaartyBaaardFaaast my daughter took an ABRSM piano exam on 3rd April and we’ve not heard yet...

SlaaartyBaaardFaaast · 14/04/2019 16:01

How quick is the turnaround for the ABRSM piano results this spring? Did you have to wait long between exam and online results?

I took mine on Friday (out of session) but I suspect Easter may delay them.

thirdfiddle · 01/04/2019 14:46

Hope your starring role went well mending! I'll go and start a summer term thread then if that's okay.

SwayingInTime · 31/03/2019 19:14

We used to have seasonal threads rather than monthly.

Great results for everyone. 4strings does your daughter want to do three instruments at specialist school?

Re. trembling legs, my daughter gets trembling hands but focuses on the fact that they stop trembling as soon as she starts playing (obviously!) so tries to acknowledge it and accept the nerves in the run up. She's had some meditation classes and would love to go more but timings are tricky. It's a very useful skill for soloists though I think.

Mendingfences · 31/03/2019 11:19

4 whole bars double Grin
Before the euphonium solo starts, slightly complicated by the fact that the euphonium player can't hear the triangle even with his hearing aids.....

4strings · 31/03/2019 10:58

I’ve just discovered that dd appears to have taken the sight reading book home that was used in her audition 😬 I can’t remember ever buying it.

Yesterday I had to make two trips to music centre for stuff she’d forgotten and needed.

11 year olds - argh!

Doubleup · 31/03/2019 10:37

A big solo Mending? Is there much repertoire for triangle? 😁

Mendingfences · 31/03/2019 10:16

Excellent exam result!
I dont have any real tips for performance anxiety apart from as much performance as possible in different settings until og becomes less of a 'thing'
On other news im playing a triangle solo later today Grin

BBLY · 31/03/2019 09:07

Luckyfab Haha that’s so confusing! It’s really just a game of wait and see now. Good luck to your dd x

Doubleup · 31/03/2019 08:41

Yay, another budding bassoonist! Excellent exam result too 4strings!
Good luck with the audition results for those that have had those recently.

Luckyfab · 31/03/2019 07:43

@BBLY my DD auditioned yesterday at GH, the mum of the girl who auditioned before my Dd said that once the audition was over one of the examiner would come out to give us detailed feed backs. In our case the examiner came out but did not say much so I was wondering if it could be a good or a bad sign. I guess I just need to wait Smile
Good luck to all the young musicians on their auditions.

BBLY · 31/03/2019 07:15

Luckyfab, hi. we’ve only had it on Friday, so no feedback yet.

Luckyfab · 31/03/2019 00:01

@BBLY Hi, after the audition at JD did you receive feed back soon after?Did they tell you what went well or needed improvement?

BBLY · 30/03/2019 23:26

Hi Spaceace, I would like to know too! Waiting to hear back after the audition on Friday, meant to know in a couple of days! According to RCM’s website last year’s intake was 75.

NeleusTheStatue · 30/03/2019 18:39

Summer term thread sounds good, thirdfiddle. Smile

thirdfiddle · 30/03/2019 18:30

Maybe it's time for a new one neleus? I did find the reminder of kids/ages/instruments each thread quite helpful, and it's a good opportunity to scoop up some new people. Summer term thread?

NeleusTheStatue · 30/03/2019 17:58

Congratulations on the great exam results!!

NeleusTheStatue · 30/03/2019 17:57

I am thinking ahead and already worrying about entering April. Could I ask MN to rename it to Music Thread 2019? So we don't need to keep renaming it every month.

4strings · 30/03/2019 17:23

Yes, ABRSM. Very speedy turnaround!!!

cocopops · 30/03/2019 16:57

Congrats on the exam passes peeps. Can I ask- was that ABRSM? My dd is desperately waiting on a grade 6 result which she sat on 12 March- just trying to work out when we can expect it. She’s going out of her mind as she is also waiting on JD audition result 🤣

thirdfiddle · 30/03/2019 15:30

Just keep doing it SE13. Or do chamber music where you generally get to sit down Grin Seriously though, the knee wobbles do go away the more you get used to playing in front of people. Concentrating on breathing calmly helped me as a kid. Make sure knees aren't locked, let yourself move a little when playing. And smile at the audience before you start. Not specific to knees but the calmer you are generally the less likely knees are to go!

SE13Mummy · 30/03/2019 15:03

Congratulations on the exam passes! DD1 has stopped doing exams after her nerves meant she didn't enjoy the one she did a couple of years ago (she still got a high score!). I don't mind about the exams but really feel for her as there are situations in which she wants to perform solos but ties herself in knots over doing so now. It's one particular context that makes her panic, even though nothing's ever gone wrong in a concert at this place. We've got strategies for her to try for most things but the shaking legs are an issue - any top tips for diverting her focus from her shaking legs? I've suggested she sit down to perform but apparently that would be embarrassing.

4strings · 30/03/2019 13:36

She definitely lost one at least on the sight reading as she started on the wrong note Grin.

Next term is probably Grade 5 violin and maybe possibly Grade 5 theory. Oh and Grade 1 cello for dd2! It’s going to be a busy couple of months!

thirdfiddle · 30/03/2019 13:29

Wow 4strings, that's a spectacular mark! Lol at the teacher chasing the missing 5. Has anyone here actually had a 100% exam? I've not even heard of one of these and the musical grapevine is quite keen on sharing!

My minis didn't get such exciting marks but did come out with distinctions, DD grade 1 piano and DS 2x grade 2. So much for me hoping for an exam free year last September. Actually DS doing piano probably did help his playing, his sight reading came on hugely, but the other two exams felt like they slowed progress if anything. It's lovely to hear some different music now.